Two new sustainable fish make for an eco-Iftar treat

EWS-WWF calls on you to share your recipe ideas

Dubai UAE - July 2012: This Ramadan EWS-WWF (Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF) is inviting the UAE community to share recipe ideas for the two new fish species that have been added to the Choose Wisely consumer guide. The Giant Sea Catfish (locally known as Khan) and the Yellow Tail Scad (locally known as Durduman) have been added to the green category, meaning that they are fished within sustainable levels and their stock is currently not experiencing heavy fishing pressure.

The Giant Catfish, characterised by its unmistakable cat-like whiskers and strong, well developed fins, boasts a mild, slightly sweet taste with a flaky texture and is a favourite cooking ingredient used in countries the world over. The smaller Yellow Tail Scad (Durduman) stands out due to its vibrant colouring with a bright olive green body, a silver underside and a series of grey stripes running vertically along its side. This fish is often cooked by steaming or frying and has a light salty taste.

Ida Tillisch, Acting Director General of EWS-WWF, said: “We invite UAE residents to explore the culinary tastes of sustainable fish dishes this Ramadan and call on the community to help us expand the Choose Wisely recipe database by submitting their own recipes using any of the fish that now feature on our Choose Wisely green list.

“Choosing a sustainable option does not mean sacrificing taste, enjoyment or nutritious value. The green fish options can either be used as substitutes to more commonly used fish or can be used in new tasty fish dishes. We want to encourage people to experiment in the kitchen and look forward to putting the best recipes to the test.”

To submit your own delicious fish dish using these new additions, please visit the EWS-WWF Facebook page.

The Choose Wisely campaign was launched to combat the growing problem of overfishing in the UAE by increasing consumer awareness and curbing the demand on overfished species. In the UAE, 60% of the total catch is made up of species fished beyond sustainable levels and in the last 30 years, commercial fish stocks have declined by 80%.

Choose Wisely aims to provide consumers with the tools to make responsible decisions when selecting seafood, through education, culinary inspiration and a grading system that indicates the level of fish suitability. EWS-WWF has updated its handy pocket-sized consumer guide, now available for download on the Choose Wisely website, which categorises fish into three simple sections: green (sustainable), orange (Good choice, but there is better) and red (overfished and should be avoided). For culinary inspiration, sustainable recipes can be found in the award winning, Sustainable Fish Recipes Cookbook published by EWS-WWF’s Choose Wisely campaign in 2010. The free to download cookbook can be found on the Choose Wisely website.

Faskar is classified as "Green" in the consumer guide, which means it is not experiencing any heavy fishing pressure.